Department for Transport

Public Transport: Protective Clothing

Baroness Randerson: To ask Her Majesty's Government what public surveys, if any, they have undertaken on (1) the mandatory use of face coverings on public transport, and (2) the impact a change to a voluntary approach may have on (a) public confidence in the safety of public transport, and (2) demand for public transport.

Baroness Vere of Norbiton: The Department for Transport has commissioned surveys on travel behaviour, attitudes and social impacts of COVID-19. These surveys are part of the Department’s All Change? study and include questions on perceptions of face covering use on public transport, public transport confidence and travel intentions. Reports of findings are published on gov.uk.

Driving Licences

Lord German: To ask Her Majesty's Government how many paper applications for (1) the renewal of a driving licence, and (2) renewal of a driving licence for persons aged over 70, remained unprocessed in each week in June.

Lord German: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of delays in renewing driving licences; what steps they are taking to reduce such delays; andwhat advice they are giving to applicants renewing their driving licence by paper application, who need their licence for hiring a motor vehicle either in the UK or abroad.

Baroness Vere of Norbiton: The Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency’s (DVLA) online services have been available throughout the pandemic and are the quickest and easiest way to renew a driving licence. There are no delays in successful online applications and customers should receive their driving licence within a few days. However, many people still choose or have to make a paper application for a driving licence. The DVLA receives around 60,000 items of mail every day which must be dealt with in person. Ongoing industrial action by members of the Public and Commercial Services union, along with fewer operational staff being on site to allow for social distancing in line with Welsh Government requirements has led to delays in dealing with paper applications. The DVLA has leased an additional building to accommodate more operational staff. The number of paper applications awaiting processing fluctuates daily as driving licences are issued and new applications received. The latest information on turnaround times for paper driving licence applications can be found on GOV.UK. Drivers who need to hire a vehicle and have sent their licence to the DVLA for renewal, can view and share their driving licence information with a car hire company by generating a share code online at GOV.UK.

Railways: Carbon Emissions and Electrification

Lord Bradshaw: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they intend to publish their plans to de-carbonise the railways before 22 July; and whether those plans will include further electrification of the railways.

Baroness Vere of Norbiton: We will publish the Transport Decarbonisation Plan shortly. The Plan will cover how we will support further electrification of the railways.

East Coast Railway Line

Lord Bradshaw: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the letter to the Chief Executive of National Rail from the Department for Transport on 8 October 2020 commissioning a review of the way capacity is allocated on the East Coast Main Line, when they will publish this review; what are the reasons this review has not already been published; and whether the review offers timetable options for (1) passengers, and (2) taxpayers, that are preferable to those proposed in London North Eastern Railway's 2022 timetable consultation.

Baroness Vere of Norbiton: The Chief Executive of Network Rail has provided a draft final report which is under review and contains commercially sensitive information that was provided in good faith by private companies on condition that it is not published. The report considers the full range of passengers and markets along the East Coast route and identifies two key options. Once finalised we will request that the main findings be published.

Boats: Accidents

Lord Hay of Ballyore: To ask Her Majesty's Government how many accidents involving private leisure craft were caused by the consumption of alcohol in the last three years.

Baroness Vere of Norbiton: There is no obligation for leisure craft owners to report accidents directly to the Marine Accident Investigation Branch (MAIB) so the data provided to answer this question cannot be considered complete.Further, unless the accident was fully investigated, it is only possible to state that alcohol was a factor in the accident, not that it was causal.In the last three years, the MAIB have been notified of eight accidents where alcohol was a factor, none of these accidents required a full investigation.

Old Oak Common Station

Lord Berkeley: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer byBaroness Vere of Norbiton on 25 March (HL14250), why the Department for Transport's Permanent Secretary, Bernadette Kelly, stated in a letter to the House of Commons Public Accounts Committee of 22 June, "we do not recognise the £1.7 billion figure"; what is the new recognised figure; and what are the reasons for this change.

Baroness Vere of Norbiton: The Department’s second bi-annual update to Parliament on 23 March 2021 provided an update on the progress of HS2 including the current cost pressures and the contingency that is available to accommodate them if they do materialise. We will provide a further update in the next bi-annual report.

Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy

Electric Cables: Seas and Oceans

Lord West of Spithead: To ask Her Majesty's Government what licensing requirements networkoperators need to have for repair solutions when landing cables in the UK and going under UK waters.

Lord Callanan: Offshore renewable projects are required to hold a Marine License for the repair and maintenance of subsea cables, except when undertaking emergency works.There are no licensing requirements on other electricity infrastructure operators for the maintenance and repair of subsea cables.

Attorney General

Confiscation Orders

Lord Browne of Belmont: To ask Her Majesty's Government how much debt is outstanding under confiscation orders obtained by the Crown Prosecution Service; and what assessment they have made of how much of the debt is recoverable.

Lord Stewart of Dirleton: The responsibility of paying a confiscation order remains with the defendant. Her Majesty’s Court and Tribunal Service (HMCTS) is responsible for the enforcement of all domestic confiscation orders, while the CPS will assist in some enforcement processes – for instance, by requesting mutual legal assistance from overseas jurisdictions in respect of assets located abroad. As of the end of the last financial year (31 March 2021), the outstanding debt on CPS obtained confiscation orders was £1.3bn (excluding interest). Of these, the CPS is assisting HMCTS on enforcement action in relation to £600m, of which £170m has been assessed as being recoverable. There is no data held by the CPS in relation to the recoverable debt on confiscation orders that are being enforced solely by HMCTS. The CPS set up a dedicated enforcement unit in their Proceeds of Crime Division in 2018 to specifically address the issue of enforcement. Where the CPS can take money from those who have profited from crime, they will not hesitate to do so. In 2019/20 over £100 million was recovered on CPS confiscation orders, stopping hundreds of criminals benefitting from their ill-gotten gains.

Department for Education

Children: Coronavirus

Lord McCrea of Magherafelt and Cookstown: To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to assist children who have not returned to school during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Baroness Berridge: Since 8 March, school attendance has been mandatory for all pupils and the usual rules on school attendance apply again. It is vital for all pupils to attend school to minimise the longer term impact of the COVID-19 outbreak on their education, wellbeing, and wider development.The Department understands that some pupils, parents, and households may be reluctant or anxious about attending school. Schools are encouraged to discuss any concerns with parents and explain the measures they are putting in place to reduce any risks. Schools should work closely with other professionals, where appropriate, to support school attendance. Some local councils also have teams that help parents improve their child’s attendance at school.When any child is withdrawn from a school, schools are obliged to make the reason for withdrawal known to the local authority. When the reason is for elective home education, all local authorities have procedures in place to identify whether the education received is suitable to the child’s needs, age, and ability.Local authorities have powers to intervene when they cannot establish if a suitable education is being provided. In April 2019, the Department published revised guidance for local authorities and parents on the oversight of home education. The guidance has been substantially strengthened to set out the steps that a local authority can take when they believe the education provided by parents is unsuitable, including when there are safeguarding concerns. Local authorities may also provide support and guidance to families who are home educating should resources allow and families wish to receive it.

Education: Standards

Lord Taylor of Warwick: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the report by New Schools Network and Onward Lost Learning: Why we need to Level Up Education, published on 25 June; and what plans they have to offer teachers a fixed stipend to work in schools in areas of underperformance.

Baroness Berridge: The department would like to thank New Schools Network and Onward for their report ‘Lost Learning: Why we need to Level Up Education’. The government will be responding to the report’s recommendations and conclusions in due course.Levelling Up is at the heart of the government’s agenda to build back better after the COVID-19 outbreak and to deliver for citizens across the UK. The government will publish a landmark Levelling Up White Paper later this year, setting out new policy interventions to improve livelihoods and opportunity in all parts of the UK.The department is currently piloting several retention payment schemes for teachers, including early career payments, teacher student loan reimbursement, and the mathematics and physics teacher retention payments. These schemes are targeted towards disadvantaged areas to encourage teachers to work in schools in these areas. The department is conducting evaluations to assess the effect of these pilot schemes, and we will consider our future retention offer in light of the evaluation findings.

Pupils: Protest

Baroness Sheehan: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of reports that schoolchildren in the UK have been punished for taking part in pro-Palestine protests.

Baroness Berridge: The Government is aware that many young people will have a strong personal interest in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Schools should ensure that political expression by senior pupils in school is conducted sensitively, avoiding disruption or an atmosphere of intimidation or fear for other pupils and staff.On 28 May 2021, my right hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Education, wrote to schools to remind them of requirements on political impartiality and their responsibility to deal with antisemitic incidents with due seriousness. This followed a reported increase in such incidents in school during the recent conflict, including the expression of antisemitic views and bullying towards Jewish pupils and teachers.All schools should set clear, reasonable, and proportionate expectations of pupil behaviour in line with the Department’s guidance on ‘Behaviour and discipline in schools’, published in 2016. It is for individual schools to develop their own best practice for managing behaviour in their school.

Ministry of Justice

Prisons: Coronavirus

Lord Lee of Trafford: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer byLord Wolfson of Tredegar on 24 June (HL1005), what proportion of (1) prisoners, and (2) prisonofficers, have received their COVID-19 vaccinations.

Lord Wolfson of Tredegar: Her Majesty’s Prison and Probation Service strongly encourages all staff and prisoners to have the Covid-19 vaccine. We ask employees to let us know when they have had each dose of the Covid-19 vaccine by recording their vaccine status on our HR system. As the disclosure of their vaccine status is entirely voluntary, it means the self-declaration rates presented below will be lower than the actual number of staff who have been vaccinated. The total number of Band 3-5 Prison Officers in Public Sector and Youth Custody Prisons who have declared that they have received their first COVID-19 vaccination, as at midday 25 June 2021, was 6,417. This is equivalent to approximately 28.5% of staff within those roles. The total number of Band 3-5 Prison Officers in Public Sector and Youth Custody Prisons who have declared that they have received their second COVID-19 vaccination, as at midday 25 June 2021, was 3,407. This is equivalent to approximately 15.2% of staff within those roles. Now that all adults are eligible, HMPPS will be increasing efforts to encourage staff to record their vaccination status. For prisoners in England as of 25 June 2021 the total number who had received their first COVID-19 vaccination was 38,895. The total number of adult prisoners who had received their second COVID-19 vaccination was 19,236. These figures represent approximately 54% and 26% of the population of 72,687 prisoners. Data for prisoner vaccinations has been provided by NHS England who are responsible for the vaccination programme. Please note that figures in relation to prisoner vaccinations change daily due to the level of activity in the vaccination programme across the estate.

Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office

Israel: Palestinians

Baroness Janke: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the reported policy of the government of Israel of demolishing the homes of Palestinians, but not Israelis, accused of acts of violence.

Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon: The UK regularly raises the issue of demolitions and forced evictions of Palestinian families from their homes with the Government of Israel. The Foreign Secretary raised ongoing evictions, demolitions and settlement activity with the Israeli Authorities during his visit to the region on 26 May. The UK is clear that in all but the most exceptional of circumstances, demolitions are contrary to International Humanitarian Law.

Gaza: Israel

Baroness Sheehan: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the use by the government of Israel of semi-autonomous machine-gun robots to guard the border with Gaza.

Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon: We have not made an assessment of these reports. We repeatedly call on Israel to abide by its obligations under international law and have a regular dialogue with Israel on legal issues relating to the occupation. All countries, including Israel, have a legitimate right to self-defence, and the right to defend their citizens from attack. In doing so, it is vital that all actions are proportionate, in line with International Humanitarian Law, and make every effort to avoid civilian casualties.

Israel: Arrests

Baroness Sheehan: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer byLord Goldsmith of Richmond Park on 23 June (HL970),what assessment they have madeof the extent to whichtheir representations to the government of Israeli are effective in ensuring that (1) Israel's investigations are transparent, swift and comprehensive, and (2) Israeli security forces provide appropriate protection to the Palestinian civilian population.

Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon: The UK has an active dialogue with Israel on legal issues related to the occupation and we remain committed to working with Israel to secure improvements to prison conditions and detention practices. We continue to urge Israel to ensure that its investigations are transparent, swift and comprehensive and to stress the importance of the Israeli security forces providing appropriate protection to the Palestinian civilian population.

Arms Trade

Lord Roberts of Llandudno: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they will publish a list of the 39 countries that were classified as "not free" by Freedom House to which the UK exported arms in the last 10 years.

Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon: The UK operates one of the most robust export licensing systems in the world. We publish quarterly and annual statistics on all our export licensing decisions, including details of export licences granted, refused and revoked. Data on licences issued since 2008, including end user destinations, are published as official statistics on GOV.UK.Her Majesty's Government takes its strategic export control responsibilities very seriously. We will not grant an export licence if to do so would be inconsistent with the Consolidated EU and National Arms Export Licensing Criteria, including respect for human rights and international humanitarian law.

Israel: Palestinians

Baroness Sheehan: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of reports that Israeli forces blocked or destroyed the roads linking villages in the Masafer Yatta area on 23 June.

Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon: The UK continues to engage frequently with the Israeli authorities on issues affecting Palestinians, including restrictions on movement and access, and stress the impact of these measures on ordinary Palestinians who rely on these fundamental rights. An official from the British Consulate Jerusalem visited Masafer Yatta on 30 June.

Israel: Palestinians

Baroness Janke: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the statement by Amnesty International on 24 June thatIsraeli police target Palestinians with "discriminatory arrests, torture and unlawful force".

Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon: We remain committed to working with Israel to secure improvements to prison conditions and detention practices. In instances where there have been accusations of excessive use of force, we urge the Government of Israel to conduct swift and transparent investigations. We also continue to stress the importance of the Israeli security forces providing appropriate protection to the Palestinian civilian population.

Israel: Palestinians

Baroness Janke: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made ofthe offer by the government of Israel to the Palestinian Authority of vaccines that were shortly due to expire in exchange for vaccines that had yet to be delivered.

Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon: Cooperation is key to tackling this Covid-19 and we continue to urge both parties to coordinate on vaccine access. We welcome initiatives for vaccine sharing which result in a greater number of Palestinians being vaccinated. We recognise that under International Humanitarian Law, Israel, as the occupying power, has a duty of ensuring and maintaining public health and hygiene, to the fullest extent of the means available to it, including in relation to combating the spread of contagious diseases and epidemics, in the Occupied Palestinian Territories (OPTs). We also recognise the Palestinian Authority's responsibilities for vaccinations under the Oslo Accords (under Article 17).

Overseas Aid

Lord Jones of Cheltenham: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they willplace in the Library of the House a list of projects which will receive reduced funding because of the reduction in overseas development assistance.

Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon: FCDO Officials are continuing to work through the implementation of the budget changes set out in the Foreign Secretary's WMS, with partners and suppliers. Given we are in a one-year spending settlement, FCDO's 21/22 planned budget allocations will be published in our Annual Report later this year. We will also continue to publish our spend information by project on DevTracker as always (updated monthly).

Israel: Palestinians

Baroness Janke: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer byLord Ahmad of Wimbledon on 21 June (HL766), whether they will now answer the question put, namely, what assessment they have made of the proportionality of the government of Israel's recent military actions in Gaza.

Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon: We repeatedly call on Israel to abide by its obligations under international law and have a regular dialogue with Israel on legal issues relating to the occupation. All countries, including Israel, have a legitimate right to self-defence, and the right to defend their citizens from attack. In doing so, it is vital that all actions are proportionate, in line with International Humanitarian Law, and make every effort to avoid civilian casualties. We call on Israel to adhere to the principles of necessity and proportionality when defending its legitimate security interest.

International Assistance

Lord Jones of Cheltenham: To ask Her Majesty's Government when theyexpect to reinstate spending of 0.7 per cent of Gross National Income on international aid.

Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon: The Government is committed to returning to spending 0.7 per cent of GNI on official development assistance as soon as the fiscal situation allows.The economic situation is difficult to predict. We are therefore monitoring the situation and planning accordingly.

Overseas Aid: Diplomatic Service

Baroness Hodgson of Abinger: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether diplomatic posts will beable to apply for official development assistance funding for local projects this year.

Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon: The creation of the FCDO has brought together diplomacy and development into a single organisation.On 21 April, the Foreign Secretary laid a Written Ministerial Statement in Parliament which outlined the allocation of FCDO ODA for 2021/22. At present, Officials are working through the implementation (and corresponding details) of these decisions with partners and suppliers.

Overseas Aid

Baroness Hodgson of Abinger: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they will publish a list of the (1) organisations and projects that have had official development assistance cuts, and (2) official development assistance projects that will be funded for 2021.

Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon: FCDO Officials are continuing to work through the implementation of the budget changes set out in the Foreign Secretary's WMS, with partners and suppliers. Given we are in a one-year spending settlement, FCDO's 21/22 planned budget allocations will be published in our Annual Report later this year. We will also continue to publish our spend information by project on DevTracker as always (updated monthly).

Tigray: Armed Conflict

Lord Alton of Liverpool: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the impact on the people of Tigray of the ongoing war in that region.

Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon: The Government is deeply concerned about the conflict in Tigray that has gone on for more than seven months and which has taken a terrible toll on the people of Tigray. Over 350,000 people are assessed to be in famine-like conditions with region-wide famine in Tigray now likely if the security situation does not improve significantly, and if urgent humanitarian support cannot be delivered.

France: Coronavirus

Lord Kilclooney: To ask Her Majesty's Government what discussions they have had with the government of France about the recognition of proof of vaccine status against COVID-19 issued by the NHS, in (1) England, (2) Scotland, (3) Wales, and (4) Northern Ireland.

Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon: We work closely with French partners through the British Embassy in Paris and with the French Embassy in London to ensure that all travel restrictions are communicated to UK nationals, including on the recognition of vaccine status. As of 9 June, travellers from the UK to France who are fully vaccinated do not need to justify an essential reason for travel or self-isolate upon arrival. France accepts proof of vaccination status via the NHS App or an official NHS letter. Full information is available on our FCDO Travel Advice pages, which we update regularly.

France: Diplomatic Service

Lord Kilclooney: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether the British ambassador to France is appointed to serve the United Kingdom or Great Britain.

Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon: Her Majesty's Ambassador to the French Republic is formally approved by Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II, Head of State of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland. As an official of Her Majesty's Government, a British Ambassador therefore represents the whole of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland.

Srebrenica: Genocide

Lord Bourne of Aberystwyth: To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to support the commemoration of theSrebrenica Genocide in 2021.

Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon: 2021 marks 26 years since the Srebrenica genocide in Bosnia and Herzegovina, which saw more than 8,000 mostly Muslim men and boys murdered, and over 20,000 women and children forcibly expelled from their homes. The UK remembers all victims and pays its respects to the survivors. The UK continues to fight for justice and an end to impunity: this year Radovan Karadzic, convicted in part for his role in the Srebrenica genocide, was transferred to the UK to serve his life sentence. HMG's commemorative activities include a video message from the Foreign Secretary, to be shown online as part of Remembering Srebrenica's programme of events, and a statement commemorating the anniversary. The FCDO hopes to host Remembering Srebrenica's in-person commemoration when COVID-19 restrictions allow. The British Embassy in Sarajevo, alongside its project funding for the Srebrenica Memorial Centre, will join commemorations in Bosnia and Herzegovina.

Overseas Aid: Drugs and Surgery

Lord Alton of Liverpool: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon on 28 June (HL1041), what discussions, if any, they have had with Uniting to Combat Neglected Tropical Diseases to discuss the finding that most of the 770 million medicines donated by pharmaceutical companies will not be delivered because of cuts in Overseas Development Assistance; and if they have not had any such discussions, whether they plan to do so.

Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon: The FCDO is currently working with implementing partners, drug companies, donors, and the World Health Organisation (WHO) to exit the programme Accelerating the Sustainable Control and Elimination of Neglected Tropical Diseases (ASCEND). As part of this we have participated in two stakeholder meetings in June, at which Uniting to Combat Neglected Tropical Diseases were present. We have also been in touch with the organisation recently via correspondence.Global health remains a top priority for UK ODA and we will continue to be a major contributor in leading international action to strengthen global health security and help build more resilient health systems. Departmental cross-government allocations of ODA spend for 2021/22 were laid out in a Written Ministerial Statement in Parliament on 21 April and the Foreign Secretary highlighted that FCDO will spend £1,305 million on global health, which means that we will remain among the most generous international donors.

Ministry of Defence

National Flagship: Procurement

Lord Hunt of Kings Heath: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made as to whether their intention to build a new Royal Yacht breaches WTO rules.

Baroness Goldie: The decision to build the National Flagship in the UK does not breach our obligations under the World Trade Organisation (WTO) Government Procurement Agreement (GPA). The WTO GPA contains a number of exemptions to open competition.

National Flagship

Lord Hunt of Kings Heath: To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to allocate additional finance to the Ministry of Defence to pay for the costs of the proposed new Royal Yacht.

Baroness Goldie: The capital costs of building the National Flagship will accrue over a number of years and will be met from the Defence Budget.

National Flagship

Lord Hunt of Kings Heath: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the (1) costs, and (2) benefits, of the proposed new Royal Yacht.

Lord Hunt of Kings Heath: To ask Her Majesty's Government what estimate they have made for the annual cost of the proposed new Royal Yacht.

Baroness Goldie: I refer the Noble Lord to the reply given by my right hon. Friend Ben Wallace MP (Secretary of State for Defence) to Question 13199, answered on 16 June 2021 in the House of Commons.National Flagship Procurement (docx, 14.9KB)

National Flagship

Lord Hunt of Kings Heath: To ask Her Majesty's Government what contribution they expect the proposed new Royal Yacht to make to the UK's defence capability.

Baroness Goldie: I refer the Noble Lord to the reply given by my right hon Friend, Ben Wallace MP (Secretary of State for Defence) to Question 10179, answered on 16 June 2021 in the House of Commons.National Flagship (docx, 15.0KB)

Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

Inland Waterways: Phosphates

Lord Patten: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether the primary sources of phosphates present in English watercourses are from (1) agricultural activities, (2) water industry discharges, or (3) other activities.

Lord Goldsmith of Richmond Park: The overall largest source of phosphorus entering English rivers is effluent from water industry sewage treatment works, contributing about 70% of the total phosphorus loading. 25-30% of phosphorus entering rivers comes from agriculture. For lakes, agriculture tends to be the largest contributor. Other sources of phosphate are relatively small (less than 5%) at a national scale but can sometimes be important at a local level. These include effluent from septic tanks, road/urban runoff, leaking sewers and storm overflows.

Sites of Special Scientific Interest: Somerset

Lord Patten: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the reasons for the environmental condition of the Sites of Scientific Interest within the Somerset Levels and Moors being downgraded.

Lord Goldsmith of Richmond Park: As the Government’s conservation advisory body, condition assessments of Sites of Special Scientific Interest (SSSIs) are carried out by Natural England. Natural England’s assessment of the Somerset Levels and Moors SSSIs is based on the latest available evidence including monitoring and modelling work carried out by Wessex Water and agreed with the Environment Agency. A full assessment of Natural England’s evaluation has been set out in their SSSI condition change briefing note. This was published in May 2021 and is attached here.SSSi condition briefing (pdf, 1453.0KB)

Inland Waterways: Phosphates

Lord Patten: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of whether the amount of phosphates entering English watercourses is declining or increasing.

Lord Goldsmith of Richmond Park: Environment Agency monitoring data show dramatic reductions in phosphorus concentrations in English rivers over the last 25 years. Average concentrations now are about one-fifth of those in the mid-1990s. The Environment Agency has also assessed the loadings of phosphorus entering rivers from water company sewage treatment works nationally. From 1995 to 2020 the phosphorus loadings were reduced by 66 percent. The amounts of phosphorus applied to land as fertiliser have also reduced significantly over the last 25 years and livestock numbers have fallen leading to less manure production.

Sugar Beet: Manufacturing Industries

Lord Jones of Cheltenham: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment theyhave made of the current state of the sugar beet industry.

Lord Benyon: Defra's reach and engagement with the agri-food sector is extensive and well-established. This includes regular contact with producers and processors in the UK sugar industry, including British Sugar. Through the UK Agricultural Market Monitoring Group, we monitor UK agricultural markets, including for sugar beet, looking at price, supply, and trade. This provides forewarning of any atypical market movements or shocks. The NFU is recognised by Defra to represent all sugar beet growers in the UK due to the nature of the UK Market with British Sugar the sole processor and buyer of Sugar beet. NFU Sugar negotiates on UK Sugar beet growers’ collective behalf to ensure fair contract terms and prices. Current issues for sugar beet growers include the control of pests (aphids) and yellow virus, along with weather related problems - such as dry springs affecting crop establishment and wet conditions during the campaign harvests. We welcomed British Sugar's work with Rothamsted to predict levels of yellow virus early in the growing season. This meant that emergency use of neonicotinoid seed treatment was not needed in 2021.

Environmental Land Management Scheme

Lord De Mauley: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether the area under certain environmental schemes on agricultural land under ELMs could count towards the Government’s objective of protecting 30 per cent of terrestrial land by 2020; and if so, under what circumstances.

Lord Goldsmith of Richmond Park: Our new environmental land management schemes will support the delivery of our ambitious national targets and commitments for the environment, including the Government's commitment to protect 30% of the UK's land by 2030. We are exploring the potential contribution that the three schemes could make to the achievement of this commitment. This contribution could include: management of farmland in an environmentally sustainable way; supporting local nature recovery and delivering local environmental priorities; management of designated sites; and encouraging collaboration between farmers, including through landscape-scale habitat creation and restoration, or securing long-term management and protection for wildlife-rich habitats.

Home Office

Migrants: Deportation

Lord Green of Deddington: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether the UK still participates in the EU's return and readmission agreements with (1) Albania, (2) Bosnia and Herzegovina, (3) Republic of Northern Macedonia, (4) Georgia, (5) Hong Kong, (6) Macau, (7) Moldova, (8) Montenegro, (9) Pakistan, (10) Russia, (11) Serbia, (12) Sri Lanka, (13) Turkey, and (14) Ukraine.

Lord Greenhalgh: Since 1 January 2021 the UK has not participated in EU Readmission Agreements with third countries. We are no longer party to these agreements. Where appropriate we are looking to transition to new bilateral agreements with third countries.

Undocumented Migrants: Deportation

Lord Green of Deddington: To ask Her Majesty's Government with what countries they have (1) bilateral return and readmission agreements, and (2) agreed Memoranda of Understanding for the return of migrants found to be illegally in the UK.

Lord Green of Deddington: To ask Her Majesty's Government how many return and readmission agreements, or Memoranda of Understanding for the return of migrants found illegally in the UK, they have participated in either (1) bilaterally, and (2) as a member state of the EU, in each of the past five years.

Lord Greenhalgh: Bilaterally outside of the EU, the UK has a range of returns arrangements with receiving countries including bilateral MoU, formal readmission agreements and informal operational arrangements which provide the basis for administrative removal and deportation of own country nationals.Formal immigration returns arrangements are in place with following countries:Afghanistan, Algeria, Angola, Azerbaijan, China, Djibouti, Democratic Republic of Congo, Guinea, Iraq, Kuwait, Nigeria, Sierra Leone, Somalia, South Korea, South Sudan, Switzerland, Vietnam.As an EU Member State, the UK participated in 14 of the 18 EU Readmission Agreements. These were with: Pakistan, Georgia, Serbia, Albania, Turkey, Sri Lanka, Ukraine, Russia, Moldova, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Montenegro, Macedonia, Macao and Hong Kong.

Undocumented Migrants: Deportation

Lord Green of Deddington: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether the UK currently has bilateral return and readmission agreements, or Memoranda of Understanding for the return of migrants found to be illegally in the UK, with (1) Albania, (2) Brazil, (3) Bangladesh, (4) Pakistan, and (5) Turkey.

Lord Greenhalgh: We are currently in discussions with a number of third countries regarding the transition of existing EURAs the UK participated in, into bilateral returns agreements, along with creating other new relationships with third countries.

Madeleine McCann

Lord Black of Brentwood: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer byBaroness Williams of Trafford on 21 June (HL709), what are the arrangements for overseeing the Metropolitan Police's Operation Grange to ensure the proper use of public funds and value for money.

Lord Black of Brentwood: To ask Her Majesty's Government on what date the National Audit Office last reviewed (1) financial, and (2) other records, held by the Home Office on Operation Grange.

Baroness Williams of Trafford: The Home Office has a dedicated team assigned to Operation Grange which regularly liaises with the Metropolitan Police investigation team to assess progress and challenge the use of funds as necessary. In addition, as part of the Special Grant funding framework, all operations receiving Police Special Grant are subject to periodic review by Her Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary and the Fire and Rescue Services to ensure that they are using funding in a way that is reasonable and proportionate.The National Audit Office conducted enquiries with the Home Office concerning the provision of funding for Operation Grange in the summer of 2019. They determined that the oversight and governance of Operation Grange was effective and that the operation was compliant with the principles of Managing Public Money.

Immigration: EU Nationals

The Earl of Clancarty: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they will considerimplementing a secure QR code system for proof of settled status for EU citizens resident in the UK.

Baroness Williams of Trafford: We continue to welcome feedback on how we can improve our services.Home Office officials have met with the 3million group to discuss the use of a QR code system and are now considering the feasibility of the suggested approach.

Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government

Assets: Local Government

Lord Birt: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer byBaroness Vere of Norbiton on 16 June (HL706), what plans they have to review whether strategic assets of wide economic value are best owned by local authorities.

Lord Greenhalgh: Under the current system of local government finance, local authorities are free to determine their own capital strategies to deliver local services, on the principle that they are best placed to make the decisions needed to support their local communities and to ensure local accountability.

Cabinet Office

Levelling Up Fund: Northern Ireland Executive

Lord Dodds of Duncairn: To ask Her Majesty's Government what discussions they are having with the Northern Ireland Executive about the white paper on the Levelling Up strategy.

Lord True: The Government will publish a landmark Levelling Up White Paper later this year, setting out bold new policy interventions to improve livelihoods and opportunity in all parts of the UK. This will be informed by engagement across the UK nations and, to fulfil our ambitions, the UK Government will engage with representatives from the devolved governments, including the Northern Ireland Executive, and with all other relevant stakeholders across the public, private and third sectors.

Civil Servants: CCTV

Lord Jones of Cheltenham: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assurances they can giveto civil servants that CCTV footage from their workplace is held securely.

Lord True: I refer the Noble Lord to my answer of 29 June 2021. Any use which is made of CCTV is for the protection of the government estate and individuals working there. Each Department is accountable for the way in which security is maintained within Departments, which includes the provision of closed circuit television cameras.

Levelling Up Fund

Lord Dodds of Duncairn: To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to consult on their White Paper on Levelling Up.

Lord Dodds of Duncairn: To ask Her Majesty's Government which department leads on their Levelling Up strategy; and what consultations they will be undertaking with local government on that strategy.

Lord True: The Levelling Up unit has been established to produce the Levelling Up White Paper, working closely with Neil O’Brien MP (PM’s Levelling Up adviser) and departments.Strengthening the Union is at the heart of this agenda and the White Paper will be informed by engagement across the UK nations, working with departments, including the Territorial Offices. The Unit has and will continue to engage with representatives from the local government sector and with all other relevant stakeholders across the public, private and third sectors.

UK Internal Trade: Northern Ireland

Lord Dodds of Duncairn: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether (1) a Member of Parliament in Northern Ireland, or (2) a Member of the Northern Ireland Assembly, will have a vote on new legislation brought forward to (a) amend, or (b) replace, the Annexes tothe Protocol on Ireland/Northern Ireland.

Lord Frost: In such situations, new EU law within the scope of the Protocol takes effect in line with Articles 13(3) and 13(4) of the Protocol. For any changes requiring further implementing legislation in the UK Parliament or the Northern Ireland Assembly, the ordinary scrutiny processes apply. Otherwise, the amending EU law applies directly. It is because this situation is so unusual from the democratic perspective that the Protocol incorporates a consent mechanism to allow for the Northern Ireland Assembly to determine whether Articles 5-10 should continue to apply.

Treasury

Business: Investment

Lord Hay of Ballyore: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of thelevels of business investment for (1) the remainder of 2021, and (2) 2022.

Lord Agnew of Oulton: As well as addressing the immediate challenges of COVID-19, the Government recognises the importance of acting now to create the conditions for an investment-led recovery driven by private sector growth. Stimulating private sector investment will create jobs, drive innovation, and revitalise local areas and regions across the UK. This is central to the Government’s plan to secure a strong recovery and the Budget announced a package of measures to achieve this, including the new super-deduction to support business investment. The Office for National Statistics, as part of the Quarterly National Accounts, published revised outturn figures for business investment in Q1 2021. In real and seasonally-adjusted terms, business investment fell by 10.7 per cent (£5.4 billion) in Q1 2021 compared to the previous quarter, or by 16.9 per cent (£9.2 billion) compared to Q1 2020.At Spring Budget 2021, the Office for Budget Responsibility (OBR), which produces forecasts on the economy and public finances, revised upwardly the medium-term business investment outlook, expecting a return to its pre-crisis level in Q2 2022. In the March 2021 Economic and Fiscal Outlook, the OBR highlighted the potential impact of the super deduction: “As a temporary measure, it provides companies with a very strong incentive to bring forward investment from future periods to take advantage of the temporarily much more generous allowances. We assume that at its peak in 2022-23, this will raise the level of business investment by around 10 per cent (equivalent to around £20 billion a year) as spending is brought forward.”

Off-payroll Working

Lord Taylor of Warwick: To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to ensure that businesses understand how to use the online ‘Check Employment Status’ tool in regard to IR35 status.

Lord Agnew of Oulton: HMRC developed the Check Employment Status for Tax (CEST) tool to help organisations and individuals determine employment status for tax and decide whether the off-payroll working rules apply. CEST is a free service which was developed working closely with tax specialists, contractors and other stakeholders. It was tested rigorously against known case law and settled cases, and HMRC stand by its results if the tool is used in accordance with HMRC's guidance. HMRC have published detailed guidance[1] on using the CEST tool and have recently launched a ‘webchat’[2] function which allows users to seek advice from HMRC as they are using the tool. This is in addition to the dedicated off-payroll working helpline, which offers customers a full run-through of the CEST tool and a CEST specific webinar run by HMRC. HMRC are continuing to help businesses get determinations right. HMRC set up dedicated teams to provide education and support to all businesses, public bodies and charities affected by the off-payroll working reform. This includes topic-based webinars and workshops, as well as targeted one-to-one calls with affected businesses. This is further supported by updated off-payroll working guidance, online learning and attendance at stakeholder events. [1] https://www.gov.uk/hmrc-internal-manuals/employment-status-manual/esm11000 [2] https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/hm-revenue-customs/contact/ir35-enquiries

National Audit Office: Email

Baroness Jones of Moulsecoomb: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether the National Audit Officehavethepower to access theprivate emails of either (1) civil servants, (2) special advisers, or (3) ministers, ifthesehave been used for governmentbusiness relating directly to their investigations.

Lord Agnew of Oulton: Under the National Audit Act 1983, the Comptroller and Auditor General has a right of access to all documents in the custody or under the control of a department that he reasonably requires for carrying out National Audit Office value for money examinations. There is a similar provision in the Government Resources and Accounts Act 2000 in relation to examinations by the Comptroller and Auditor General of a documents relating to a department’s accounts.The 2013 Cabinet Office Guidance to departments on the use private email is clear that the originator or recipient of a communication should consider whether the information contained in private emails amounts to substantive discussions or decisions generated in the course of conducting government business, and take steps to ensure the relevant information is accessible (e.g. by copying it to a government email address).

Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport

Gambling

Baroness Bakewell of Hardington Mandeville: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of theEconomic Assessment of Selected House of Lords Gambling Reforms, prepared by NERA Economic Consulting for the Peers for Gambling Reform and published on 26 May.

Baroness Barran: We are considering the report by NERA Economic Consulting carefully, along with the large amount of evidence we have received in connection with our Review. We aim to publish a white paper by the end of the year, setting out our conclusions and next steps for the Gambling Act Review.

Huawei: Telecommunications

Baroness Merron: To ask Her Majesty's Government what is the total cost ofremoving Huawei from the telecommunications network by 2027.

Baroness Barran: As the Secretary of State set out in his statement to the House of Commons on 14 July 2020, we estimate that implementation of the advice to remove Huawei 5G equipment from the UK’s telecom network will cost up to two billion pounds. The estimated cost breakdown is set out in the impact assessment published for the Telecommunications (Security) Bill.

Ofcom: Finance

Baroness Merron: To ask Her Majesty's Government how much additional funding will be provided to Ofcom to support the costs of monitoring and compliance with the new powers for that body in the Telecommunications Security Bill.

Baroness Barran: Ofcom's budget for telecoms security this financial year has been increased by £4.6 million, to reflect its enhanced security role under the Telecommunications (Security) Bill. This is in addition to its current security budget of £2 million.

Channel Four Television: Economic Growth and Employment

Baroness Goudie: To ask Her Majesty's Government how they will ensure that, irrespective of the outcome of the consultation on the future of Channel 4, the broadcaster will be able to continue to support growth and jobs outside of London.

Baroness Barran: Channel 4 makes an important economic and social contribution across the whole of the UK through its investment in regional production, its national HQ in Leeds, and its creative hubs in Glasgow and Bristol. Any options we decide to pursue following the public consultation would need to consider how to ensure Channel 4 continues its role in supporting levelling up across the UK. The Government is seeking views from a broad range of stakeholders to inform our policy making. That is why we published a public consultation on 6 July 2021, which will run for 10 weeks, closing on 14 September 2021.

Channel Four Television

Baroness Goudie: To ask Her Majesty's Government what evidence they have commissioned to inform their consultation on the future of Channel 4.

Baroness Barran: On 6 July, the Government launched its public consultation on the future of Channel 4, including what ownership model and remit will best support the broadcaster to thrive for decades to come. Views and evidence gathered from a broad range of stakeholders in response to the consultation will inform our policy making and final decision. Details about the Government’s assessment of the challenges facing Channel 4 are provided in its recent publication, “Consultation on a potential change in ownership of Channel 4 Television Corporation”, copies of which have been placed in the House of Commons Library, and are available here: https://www.gov.uk/government/consultations/consultation-on-a-change-of-ownership-of-channel-4-television-corporation.

Cultural Heritage: Investment

Lord Storey: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they will list of all the organisations in England that will benefit from the £60 million national heritage investment announced on 3 July;and how much funding each organisation will receive.

Baroness Barran: The DCMS Press Release published on 3 July lists the twenty organisations set to benefit from this latest investment, as well as the sums awarded, and can be found online: https://www.gov.uk/government/news/60-million-to-protect-our-national-heritage

Charities: Churches

Baroness Burt of Solihull: To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they aretaking to ensure that the excepted status for church charities will end in March 2031.

Baroness Barran: DCMS officials will work with the Charity Commission and representatives of the excepted church charities to develop a comprehensive plan to phase the excepted church charities onto the register of charities in a manageable way over the extension period, which will end in March 2031.

Charities: Religion

Baroness Burt of Solihull: To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they will taketoprevent religious organisations that promote intolerance and harmful messages from becoming registered charities.

Baroness Burt of Solihull: To ask Her Majesty's Government how they intend to preventreligious organisations that promote misogyny from becoming registered charities.

Baroness Burt of Solihull: To ask Her Majesty's Government what consideration they havegiven to removing the advancement of religion as a charitable purpose.

Baroness Barran: To be registered as a charity, institutions, including religious organisations in England and Wales, must meet the legal test for charitable status set out in the Charities Act 2011. This requires the institution to have a wholly charitable purpose for the benefit of the public. The advancement of religion has long been recognised as a charitable purpose. The requirement for public benefit has to be demonstrated with evidence. Any benefits that the charity provides must be weighed against any detriment and harm. An example of activity by an organisation which would be considered as detrimental or harmful includes encouraging or promoting violence or hatred towards others, or unlawfully restricting a person’s freedom. An organisation’s public benefit will be affected where there is evidence of significant detriment or harm from what the organisation proposes to do, or practises, which outweigh the benefits of the organisation carrying out its aims. The Charity Commission, as the independent regulator of charities in England and Wales, is responsible for assessing if an institution meets the legal test for charitable status. The Charity Commission takes a robust approach to registration, demonstrated by the fact that it registered on average 60% of applications received in 2020-2021. There are currently no plans to change the legal test for charitable status.